Employees in the renewable energy sector: Renaissance of vocational training?

To implement the climate targets, the expansion of renewable energies in Germany needs to be tripled and the share of climate-neutral technologies in consumption sectors such as industry, transport and buildings must also grow more strongly in the future than it has in the past. Additionally, because of demographic change, the number of people in the labour force is increasingly decreasing. By 2036, 12.9 million people will have exceeded retirement age. This corresponds to almost 30 percent of the labour force available on the labour market. To prevent future personnel bottlenecks, the promotion of education and training in fields of activity that have an impact on climate protection plays a significant role.

To this end, this study draws on the 2018 employment survey conducted by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA). In addition, the study also refers to central fields of action for the promotion of renewable energies based on the EU-Taxonomy-Regulation.

Two findings stand out: Firstly, renewable energy workers show a high overlap with occupational profiles of the dual training system which is strongly anchored in the German labour market. In addition, the working environment of renewable energy workers is characterised by above-average change and level of requirements compared to other workers.